The saga of the
Meizu M8 is one of the more entertaining dramas in the phone biz these days, owing partly to the endless delays and tweaks, granted -- but owing
much more to the truly masterful ripping of the iPhone's industrial design. Unfortunately, there's been very little actual bite to follow up the bark coming out of the Meizu camp, and it looks like we might get a real taste of this thing for the first time as soon as next month. A post on Meizu's website, seemingly from none other than CEO J. Wong himself, claims that a first cut of the M8 will arrive next month -- along with plenty more pictures and details -- but it'll be a somewhat neutered rendition that features just 128MB of RAM and zero flash. October will bring the real deal, a 256MB baddie that rocks 8GB of storage for 2180 yuan, which works out to about $320. Meanwhile, pictures have surfaced of the latest prototype floating around Meizu's labs, looking both as slick and as litigation-prone as ever. Bring these stateside, Mr. Wong, and we'll be the very first to sign up -- just don't be surprised if Apple is right behind us.
[Via
Electronista]
Read - August for 128MB model, October for 256MB / 8GB?
Read - Prototype M8 in the wild
posted Jul 16th 2008 6:30PM
No 3G, which is why I left this out in the cold and went for an iPhone 3G.
I bet it will blend though...
When the first iPhone was released, many people said they would not get it because it did not have 3G. The response from the Apple boys here on Engadget was that they did not want 3G, it would kill the battery, it did not give that much of a boost in speed, it was not available in all areas.
Just over the past few days I have read on Engadget comments: I can't live without 3G, just turn off 3G when you do not need it to save battery, 3G is so fast, 3G is available everywhere I went.
Just more of the same "We don't need it untill Steve Jobs tells us we need it"
The new thing is that copy & paste are no big deal.
Something tells me this will have that...
I was thinking that over time battery technology would improve and slowly it has. That was the main driver behind "accepting" 3G on the iPhone for me.
@ RedJediUK: Actually, M8 doesn't only have 3G, but also 3.5G (Double the freakin speed), and available in all areas in my country. :)
http://www.meizume.com/minione-m8/888-meizu-mini-one-m8-specifications.html
@ fred: lol, Amen to that... Well, lets not forget video recording, which will suddenly be important as soon as Jobs decides to, along with front camera & user replaceable battery, you know, "things we can't live without. Jobs 2010".
But, can it run Mobileme?
@Flashpoint
But, does the iPhone, Mac, Windows, or anybody else without problems?
@Nohone: But it's kind of cool to watch the reality distortion field in effect isn't it? :)
@Saad
that forum is preliminary specs from 03-04-2007 . show me something official, we've had two generations of the iphone without official video recording, and we all expected it would be able to do that at least, so these preliminary specs for a knockoff phone aren't pushin it for me
albeit they LOOK nice, 3.5g , 3mp camera in the back for taking pictures and VGA cam in the front for video conferencing
"When the first iPhone was released, many people said they would not get it because it did not have 3G. The response from the Apple boys here on Engadget was that they did not want 3G, it would kill the battery, it did not give that much of a boost in speed, it was not available in all areas."
Goes both ways, the haters said they'd get it if it had 3G and an SDK. People change their minds all the time. So what's your point?
OK, let me see if I can put this into perspective.
Yes I did see the specs.
Those specs on MeizuMe.com by Err0r state that a future version of the Mini One will have 3G/3.5G. It also says at the bottom of the specs
"Gray text = Features not included in initial release."
When I said no 3G on my first message, I meant on the first one they will release.
Meizu do make great quality products but by not including 3G WAY back when it was first announced Meizu dropped the ball. Many of those prospective purchasers got tired of waiting and went off and purchased something else.
If the M8 with its full current specs (3G, multitouch, 0.3 camera) had been released in the UK before the iPhone 3G then I would have bought one, but it wasn't.
The iPhone 3G does all I need. If people want to hold out for 3G version of the M8 then fair play to them. I hope it gives them what they have waited for.
Everyone wants to copy apple's succesful iPhone
thank you captain obvious
Is this guy the new clak?
*facepalm
wasn't this rumoured and fcc'd before the iphone/ipod touch?
Hasn't Apple already released the iPod touch / iPhone in the States?
This is pretty ironic:
Emgeton clones and betters the Meizu M8 and will come in Q3:
http://www.pmptoday.com/2008/07/16/emgeton-mini-one-gives-meizu-a-taste-of-its-own-medicine/
Windows Mobile 6, 3MP camera, Bluetooth, VGA TOUCH SCREEN.
...and somehow it's STILL more appealing than the Dare.
Captain Obvious saves the day!
did you just call yourself Captain Obvious?
128MB of RAM is fine, just add a good CPU and any GPU and I'll be fine
they coulda at least put 256MB ROM in case, but I dont care for 8GB built in if it offers a mini/micro/SDHC slot
This really looks an iPod touch... I hope it doesn't have a glossy aluminum back... *yikes*
I thought this stupid product was just a rumor/vaporware?
Until I see anyone being able to buy that thing, is the day I'll care about meizu 'm8'
"I thought this stupid product was just a rumor/vaporware?"
Obviously it's not, so why not just see how well it works before passing judgment?
Stupid? Are we now starting to associate human traits with electronics. How stupid of you.
The iPod Touch phone! I've been looking for it. D:
Ye, cuz I don't like the silver border at the iphone! The ipod Touch has a nicer design, kept in dark!
Alright...this may have been asked before...so I apologize in advance if it has, but...
Is it pronounced "M-8" or "mate"?
I'm not sure, I think you should ask J. Wong himself.
Another GUI change? Who did they rip this one of from?
Give it up already - the problem isn't with the manufacturers ripping off the iPhone - but instead the low class low end chinamen(women) who wants the best but can't afford to pay for it - but still must have it. This creates a market for these bootleg devices that are nothing but un-recyclable pieces of crap ready to kill our precious earth.
It's not the companies fault - but the mentality of chinese people - get rich fast, make a buck, who cares if it kills off the environment, who cares if it is a rip off of someone else's hard work. I just need to make a buck here and if it hurts others, so be it.
china is a fast growing economical powerhouse - ready to surpass everyone else - but at the expense of everything evil you can imagine. I cannot wait until their unique skyskrapers pummel to the ground because of cheap materials used and the rate at which they are expanding only contributes to more global pollution - who cares if we (the chinese) kill the earth - so what if we make a buck!
If you want your device to not be counterfeited, DO NOT HAVE YOUR PRODUCT MADE IN CHINA PERIOD. They (chinese) will steal your design process, manufacturing process, and then their govt. will throw you out.
Why do you think iPhone will be released in 70 countries by year end but not one will be in China? No xbox360 in china. No ps3 in china. No Wii in china. Keep your products/designs safe - do not make it in china. Problem solved!
why bother now?
And now we wait for the Meizu M8 clones to appear.
Wow pollution? you do realize USA makes more pollution than the rest of the world combined...You're ignorant person..
References please.
(Don't bother, you won't find any)
Correct me if I'm wrong but... the iPhone is made in China, ALL computers are made in China (maybe minus a few Fujis which are made partly in Japan), the PS3 is made in China,, the 360 is made in China, the Wii is made in China...
$320 is a great price for a phone with these specs.
If the touch screen is good, this will make a great Android device!
KEROLiUKAS, yes the U.S. pollutes a lot, but we don't have such bad air quality that athletes decide to boycott the Olympics because they can't breathe at them and are worried their lungs will be damaged. China is a way worse polluter than the U.S. (I'm sure we're worse per capita, but they have more than 5 times more people, so they are still way worse).
If you are going to criticize Tweezers for anything, how about for the use of the incredibly PC term "chinamen," or for the reason that LaFramboise pointed out.
You can try to live without Chinese goods.
Yum, spam! freetibet4u@gmail.com
Time is needed to catch up with and finally get over these countries.
So I guess this is the iPhone for people who could never bring themselves to buy an Apple project.
simply a knock-off piece of crap without proper warranty and absolutely no buyer's confidence that this shit wont fall apart in a week or short-circuit from the low quality sweat-shop electronics.
Hey man! all the comment you said in this post are bullshit!! I think you are just a lousy fly. i do not know why you calumny china on purpose...is there any chinese hurt your flimsy heart or raped your mom? you are so lousy!!!
Hey man! all the comment you said in this post are shit!! I think you are just a lousy fly. i do not know why you calumny china on purpose...is there any chinese hurt your flimsy heart or raped your mom? you are so lousy!!!
I like the vinyl record touch for playing mp3 files. They should add in a tone arm that approximates when the record is going to finish. A nice retro look.
The Meizu is done for. It will never be released and that's that. Right now it's cost is too high unless it will be subsidized for a cheaper price.
I agree, that was the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture. Having an image of a spinning vinyl record with the tone arm moving across to indicate the time remaining on the "record" would do my old album loving soul good and be too cool for school (to date myself even further). Takes me back to the 70's and 80's when I literally had hundreds upon hundreds of treasured and beloved records proudly stacked in apple crate boxes next to my stereo/turntable with behemoth speakers. Alphabetically, or course, although by genre in some cases, like soundtracks. An mp3 player skin like this would certainly make as much sense as some of the other goofy stuff out there. Although to be honest, how much time to you actually spend staring at the screen of your phone/DAP while it plays? In this case, maybe more!...
@ChineseRn!groesOfAsia
Dude, what's the problem with you? Engadeget is a nice place for people to discuss the newest gadget. You always attack other country with your shameless political speech. You really ruined this community.
Does Korean people always like this? Go on street as a living style?
Anti-American beef import for no-reason? Tourist was killed by North Korea, but dare to say one word? : )
@ChineseRn!groesOfAsia
Dude, what's the problem with you? Engadeget is a nice place for people to discuss the newest gadget. You always attack other country with your shameless political speech. You really ruined this community.
Does Korean people always like this? Go on street as a living style?
Anti-American beef import for no-reason? Tourist was killed by North Korea, but dare to say one word? : )
@ChineseRn!groesOfAsia
Dude, what's the problem with you? Engadeget is a nice place for
people to discuss the newest gadget. You always attack other country
with your shameless political speech. You really ruined this
community.
Does Korean people always like this? Go on street as a living style?
Anti-American beef import for no-reason? Tourist was killed by North
Korea, but dare to say one word?
Instead of schoolchildren holding and staring at silly cards, grown men and women are clinging to their cell phones and other hand-held electronic devices. As they happily push the buttons on their devices and gaze at their sleek compact gadgets, their facial expressions match those I saw years ago when children held their Garbage Pail Kids trading cards so tightly. More thoughts at: http://lowtechtimes.com/2008/07/15/the-garbage-pail-kids-phenomenon/
"just 128MB of RAM"
umm the iPhone only has 128 MB of RAM as well...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iphone
silly boy, apple pays them more if they word things like that.
"but it'll be a somewhat neutered rendition that features just 128MB"
the article said just 128MB as it is less than any other versions of the M8, for the M8 128MB of ram is relatively small.
5 times of people, 5 times of market demand. a world without china. can't imagine...
I thought these guys got sued.
Why is are everyone comparing this phone to an iphone and saying its a crap? Is it really worst? Why? As far as i know the latest iphone only costs +/- 140$ producing... that might mean it has good stuff inside LOL. keep it real... Almost any phone its better than te iphone 3G.
Actually.. 3G? since later 2007 every 3G phone can make video-calls, MMS.. The iphone sucks hard! End of story. And the iphone 3G has GPS *\o/* WOW!!! but only works perfect if you ride a bike or walking on foot...
I just said all this, cause most of you judge without knowing nothing about the phone. Wait for the reviews and then talk bad or good.
It's going to ship with the mobile version of Duke Nukem Forever...
I like your ID.
Then where do you want it made? The United States? For three times the MSRP?
Chinese or not, why would you trust a untrustworthy person? That's plain ol' stupid...
lol, a "lousy fly"... if only china owen (or is it owned??) understood that were talking about this crappy knock-off and not about his country...but it is quite apparent that such an insult is common in this man's country
Between the use of the word "Chinamen" and the wish of "pummeling skyskrapers," I can't decide if Tweezers Hurt is more racist or more terrorist...hmm
What's with the PRICE?!!! $320 for a Chinese knock-off? No thanks. Was really looking forward to it when its estimated price tag was less than $200 but now there's really no point.